Seen at the Frankfurt motor show today, the new two-door is set to go on sale in the UK on 5 October, priced from £31,575 for the entry-level 420d SE.

Three turbocharged engine options will be offered initially, with three more forced-induction units to follow. In a move aimed at providing the 4-series with a broader appeal than its predecessor, there will also be a choice of either rear or four-wheel drive in selected models. Five trim levels - SE, Sport, Modern, Luxury and M Sport - will be offered.

The BMW 4-series, first previewed in concept form at the Detroit motor show in January, is based on the same platform as the 3-series saloon. Changes to its chassis, including wider front and rear tracks and suspension lowered by 10mm, provide it with a lower and wider appearance that befits its sporting brief. It also has the lowest centre of gravity of any BMW on sale.

At 4638mm in length, 1825mm in width and 1362mm in height, the 4-series coupé is 26mm longer, 43mm wider and 16mm lower than its 3-series coupé predecessor. The wheelbase is up by 50mm to 2810mm, and the front and rear tracks are extended by 45mm and 81mm to 1545mm and 1593mm respectively.

The jump in size sees kerb weight increase marginally, with the base 420d hitting the scales at 1450kg, or 30kg more than the old 320d coupé, in six-speed manual guise.

The three launch engines will be a 181bhp four-cylinder turbodiesel in the £31,575 420d, a 242bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol in the £32,595 428i and a 302bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol in the initial range-topping £40,795 435i.

Three more engines will be added one month after launch, including a 181bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol in the 420i, a 254bhp 3.0-litre six-pot diesel in the 430d, and a 309bhp version of that unit in the 435d.

The 435d will be sold exclusively with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system. In November, xDrive will also be offered as an option on the 420d and 420i models. Rear-drive is standard on all models except the 435d. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on all models except the 430d and 435d, which come with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The eight-speed automatic is an optional on the rest of the range.

The most potent launch model is the 435i which, when equipped with the optional eight-speed automatic, has a 0-62mph time of 5.1sec. The most efficient is the auto-equipped 420d, with economy of 61.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 121g/km. Performance and economy figures and pricing have yet to be confirmed for the models arriving in November.

Crowning the line-up from late next year will be the M4 coupé. Power is set to come from a heavily tuned, twin-turbocharged version of BMW’s 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol engine, which is claimed to deliver around 440bhp.

BMW is already talking up the dynamic properties of the 4-series, suggesting it is one of the sportiest cars in its line-up. The springs, dampers, camber angle and axle responses have all tuned for increased agility, while BMW is claiming a 50 per cent front/50 per cent rear weight distribution.

Stylistically, the new car borrows heavily from the latest 3-series saloon, particularly at the front end. As tradition dictates, the long doors are frameless. Despite the visual similarity to its four-door sibling, the body is unique.

Inside, the 4-series coupé shares its dashboard, instrument binnacle and centre console with the 3-series saloon. But with steeper screen angles and front seats that are more contoured and set lower than its four-door sibling, it offers a more overtly sporting driving position. The longer wheelbase increases rear legroom, but the boot volume is just five litres greater than the 3-series coupé, at 445 litres.

Standard equipment includes heated leather seats and a 6.5in colour screen with BMW’s iDrive controller. All versions except the base SE get 18-inch alloy wheels and sports seats. The M Sport trim includes adaptive dampers, which are available as an option across the rest of the range.

I don't see any reason why I would not buy this instead of a Merc or Audi if I was in the market for a premium coupe

I am sorry to pull you up in what, if I may say, is rather inaccurate use of terminology. BMW, Deppi, have not made premium cars for about 10-15 years. Porsche, for example, make premium cars.Every car in the range is "premium" in terms of overall quality, consistency and driver appeal.So whether you spend £40K or £80K on a Porsche you get absolutely beautiful “premium” quality inside and out. The Range Rover, completely different brand and completely different car, is without question "premium" in overall ability and the quality of materials used – inside particularly.Whether you spend £70K or £100K on a Range Rover, you again have beautiful “premium” quality inside and out.I am sorry, but that is no longer the case with BMW.

Very often people ascertain that BMW’s are "premium", but I am unsure what your benchmark is. If you are talking Citroen or Ford Mondeo, then perhaps yes, you have a case.But in the last 20 years, BMW’s strategy has changed completely. Rather than selling smaller amounts of “premium” cars at high prices, there was a shift to selling far more cars at lower prices – to become “semi premium” if you like –ultimately a mass manufacturer. It is not just this country, but worldwide.In the mid 90’s they embarked on this change of strategy by buying the then Rover Group.The idea was to sell smaller, cheaper cars – but more importantly – a lot more cars, but over the course of the 6 or so years that they owned Rover, BMW realized that they could achieve that with the BMW brand.From 2000ish then, there was the shift to smaller, cheaper cars.Okay, you may argue that the high end 5 series and 7 series still grace the price lists, but they are becoming less and less important - particularly the 7 series.Not unimportant – that would be ridiculous to argue that – but less important.

In terms of communication, the strategy is clearly to keep the products on the front page of magazines and website as often as possible. You will find BMW communicating or “leaking” far more than any other car manufacturer. Look at all the main UK car websites and you will see BMW pretty much always on the front page with something. This is not a criticism - not at all - as marketing and Comms are undeniably BMW strengths. The product cycles of each car are finely managed in order to achieve such brand and product visibility.

Now, while there is no question that BMW are selling ever more cars, and it is likely this trend will continue, there has been some loss of “character” along the way.I remember very much as a child during the 70s and 80s, most people who drove company cars in this country had a choice of either a Ford, a Vauxhall or a Rover – that was it, pretty much. BMWs were driven be people who were affluent and paid by cash (private buyers), medium-sized business owners who bought 5 and 7 series, and top decision makers of larger companies and banks. If you drove a BMW, you were out of the norm. If you buy privately now, the majority of private buyers pay credit, completely different people buy BMWs now than 20 years ago. Of course, people may cite examples of frends of family who have hada BMW for 30 years etc. Of course, there are always exceptions.

While Sales Executives, who drove Mondeos and Cavaliers in the 70s and 80s, have moved on and now tend to drive BMWs, so have the decision makers of large companies and affluent private buyers.In March 2013, for the first time in my memory, our main car park in London doesn’t have a single BMW.Branch offices do, indeed, but at head office, there is not a single one.

Which leads to this new strategy of BMW to fill in the number gaps – with the 2 and 4 series.I think it is a big mistake.I know why BMW have done it – to distinguish the cars, to give it an individual identity and to give the buyer a feeling of “premium” over a 3 series etc, but if you look at the pictures above, there is no denying that it looks like a coupe version of a 3 series.The interior looks smart with the red plastic, but the centre consol is identical to the 3 series – in fact, the entire fascia pressing is the same.As someone who knows the 3 series quite well, as I bought my father one, I know very well that the interior detailing is on the cheap side – rather mass manufactured, which, of course, is what it is.I know the engines are good, I know the handling will be tuned for sportiness on the "4", but I would far rather that BMW filled the 2 and 4 number gaps with a new product than a version of an existing one. If there is no new product, then dont use it.

20 years ago, this car would have been something that I envied people having, but over the years I have moved on. The 3 coupe becomes a 4, and the branch office company car drivers will likely be delighted as BMW’s mass manufacturing strategy continues unabated, but I am afraid I see a car that doesn’t deserve its own “4” identity.

Actually - there was no mondeo in the 1970's or 1980's it was the Cortina followed by the Sierra. I think company cars were very rare in those days. If so it was more likely to be the Ford Granada and Vauxhall Carlton/Senata. But more likely to be a Rover 3500 or Jag. BMW was nearly bankrupt in the early 1970's

A REALLY good-looking BMW. Yes please. Anyone who buys a CLA over this is surely nuts.

Funny comment..As This isn't a competitor to the CLA in any sense .. The CLA is a four door saloon/ coupe 1 series ,Audi A3 rival .. The 4 series is a rival for Merc c-class coupe and a5 coupe ..I still can't get used to the bulbous front end styling of the new 3 and 4 series, not ugly at all but still not pretty!

I agree - it IS a competitor of the CLA as its a coupe ( albeit the CLA has extra doors )and if you've got £31k burning a hole in your pocket you would compare the 2 cars as they are the same price . The BMW will be the real deal I would guess whereas the CLA is all show . I ve got no axe to grind as Ive ordered a new Golf GTi - i needed something more practical than both these cars but if practically wasn't a consideration I would have had a serious look at the 4 it looks great in my opinion .

I agree - it IS a competitor of the CLA as its a coupe ( albeit the CLA has extra doors )and if you've got £31k burning a hole in your pocket you would compare the 2 cars as they are the same price . The BMW will be the real deal I would guess whereas the CLA is all show . I ve got no axe to grind as Ive ordered a new Golf GTi - i needed something more practical than both these cars but if practically wasn't a consideration I would have had a serious look at the 4 it looks great in my opinion .

Apart from the fact that the CLA is a coupe version of the A-Class and will be rivalled by the 2-Series, albeit indirectly as the BMW will have 2 doors. But they're in the same class. Price may be similar, but they're not rivals, otherwise you could use the same argument for so many cars whose prices are the same.

So both are coupes both have 4cyl Diesel engines both are German and both cost the same - they both appeal to the same customer so surely they are competitors ? the trouble is Mercedes has priced its car too high and has thrown its CLA into the ring with this BMW heavyweight which is a mistake - I agree its not in the same " class " but by pricing the CLA so high they have priced their car into the class above . Mercedes should be selling their diesel AMG at around £28k to compete with cars at that price where it would do well but against this its not in the same league

So both are coupes both have 4cyl Diesel engines both are German and both cost the same - they both appeal to the same customer so surely they are competitors ? the trouble is Mercedes has priced its car too high and has thrown its CLA into the ring with this BMW heavyweight which is a mistake - I agree its not in the same " class " but by pricing the CLA so high they have priced their car into the class above . Mercedes should be selling their diesel AMG at around £28k to compete with cars at that price where it would do well but against this its not in the same league

In no sense are they competitors, two different classes of vehicles .. As stated before CLA is a rival for the upcoming 2 series coupe and a grand coupe version I believe .. 4 series competes directly with c-class, it crazy to suggest otherwise .. Just because ones a four door coupe and German .. Also many classes of vehicles cross over price wise .. top end of one with lower end of the next class..also to say because they both have 4cyl diesles they compete is ridiculous also .. A 5 series has a 6cyl engine and so does a s-class are they competitors ? I think not!

Still do not like any version of the 3 series / 4 series styling wise , BMW needs some style injection .. They are producing same same boring looking cars With ugly head lights and bulbous faces!